Fabric spreader

ABSTRACT

A MACHINE FOR SPREADING TEXTILE FABRICS SUCH AS SHEETS AND PILLOW CASES. THE SPREADER CAN BE CONVERTED FROM A SINGLE LANE MACHINE FOR SPREADING SHEETS TO A MULTIPLE LANE MACHINE FOR SPREADING TOWELS AND PILLOW CASES BY MOVING A LEVER ARM. MOVEMENT OF THE LEVER ARM SIMULTANEOUSLY INTERCHANGES A COMBINATION SPREADING LIP HAVING SINGLE LONG CURVATURE AND CORRESPONDING SINGLE LONG ROLL DESIGNED FOR SHEETS, WITH A COMBINATION LIP HAVING A PLURALITY OF SHORT CURVED SEGMENTS AND CORRESPONDINGLY INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED ROLLS FOR TOWELS AND OTHER SMALL PIECES.

Jan. 12, 1971 R; 'sJo'smQM 3,553,863

FABRIC SPREADER:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June :16, 1969 United States Patent O 3,553,863FABRIC SPREADER Robert L. Sjostrom,'Boca Raton, Fla., assignor toSheetmaster Corporation, Boca Raton, Fla., a corporation of Florida IFiled June 16, 1969, Ser. No. 833,433

Int. Cl. D06f 6'7/04 US. Cl. 38-143 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF'THE DISCLOSUREA machine for spreading textile fabrics such as sheets I SUBJECT MATTEROF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a means for spreadingnon self-supporting textile articles such as towels and pillow cases forfeeding into ironers and the like and in particular reiate to aconvertible spreader useful for both sheets and small textile articles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Feeding small textile articles in a linenand laundry supply operation to an ironer is a time consuming operationwhich ordinarily requires employment of skilled operators whoindividually lay the small articles successively onto the ironer inadjacent lanes. Because of the skill required there have been severalattempts to develop commercial spreading machines that substitute forsuch hand operations. These machines include those illustrated inLetters Patent 3,386,192. The means which have been used heretofore arenot completely satisfactory for all linen and laundry supply operationrequirements. For one thing, such machines are designed primarily forhandling either very large articles, such as sheets, or alternately,small articles fed in multiple lanes. And while there may have been someattempts to provide means for converting these spreaders from multipleto single lane operation such attempts have not been commerciallysuccessful.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved spreading mechanism for use inconjunction with rapid and efficient feeding of small articles inmultiple lanes to ironers and the like. Its also an object of thepresent invention to provide a spreader of the type described which isrelatively inexpensive to manufacture,

compact, not likely to break down, which can be used with conventionalvacuum and electrical sources, and which eliminates the need for anoperator to hold a small article once the lead edge has been placed onthe spreader. A further object of this invention is to provide a smallarticle spreader which may be used in conjunction with any conventionelfiatwork ironer to assure proper feeding to the ironer in multiple orsingle lanes depending on the article size. A further important featureof the present invention is to provide an improved means for spreadingeither small piece or large piece textile articles while minimizingoperator fatigue. Another object of the present invention is to providean improved means for converting a spreader from one adapter to handlemultiple lanes to a single spreader and vice versa. A further object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved means for substituting asingle arcuate lip for a lip having a plurality of arcuate surfacesdefining a plurality of lanes simultaneously with the substitution of aplurality of individually controlled pressure rolls used individuallyfor each lane with a single roll used for a single lane machine.

In the present inventionthere is provided a small piece textile articlespreading means which consists essentially of a plurality of parallelendless: belts having surfaces adapted to move textile articles in aforward direction. Elongated means are provided for air suctionlongitudinally of the rear and below the ends of the surfaces over whichthe textile articles are moved. A plurality of lips extend widthwise ofthe spreader with one having a lower edge formed with a plurality ofarcuate segments and the other having a lower edge arcuately curved overa distance at least equal to a plurality of said arcuate segments. Meansare provided for selectively positioning the lips in operative relationwith the elongated means. In a preferred embodiment there is alsoprovided two sets of roller means with one set having a lengthcorresponding to the length of the single arcuate lip and the otherroller means consisting of a plurality of roller individually supportedand corresponding in length to the individual arcuate segments of theother lip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantagesof the present invention will be more clearly understood when consideredin conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spreader embodying the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a detailed somewhat schematic cross sectional view lookingfrom the right of the spreader illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The spreader generallyshown in FIG. 1 is ordinarily used at the feed end of the ironer. Inthis arrangement forward end .1 of the spreader is rolled up to and issecured at the feed end of an ironer so that textile sheets being fedforwardly to the forward end 1 will move onto the conveyor belt of theironer for subsequent ironing. In order to properly position thespreader illustrated in FIG. 1 at the end of an ironer the spreader isbuilt on a frame having telescopic legs 2 and 3 for vertically adjustingthe spreader so that the forward end 1 may be positioned to feed textilearticles onto the belt of the ironer. Preferably these telescopic legs 2and 3 which may be locked at any suitable height by conventional meansare mounted on a base 4 consisting of a series of parallel struts andcross members 5 and 6. The struts 5 are preferably provided with wheels7 that may be locked by conventional means to prevent inadvertentmovement once the spreader is properly positioned. Suitably supported onlegs 2 and 3 are a pair of supports 8 which in turn support a vacuum box9. The vacuum box 9, also illustrated in FIG. 2, consists of an enclosedbox having sidewalls 10 at either side which are interconnected by a.series of walls including forward wall 11, rear wall 12, bottom 13 andupper wall 14. The upper wall 14 extends rearwardly from the forwardwall and has an arcuate portion 19 to accommodate a roll 43. A lip 20 isintegral with the rear edge of wall 14. This lip 20 extends from itsupper edge 21 angularly downwardly and rearwardly with the lower lipedge 22 formed with a series of scalloped segments in spaced relation tothe upper edge 23 of the rear wall 12. The scallops of edge 22 of thelip 20 are defined by arcs of uniform size and dimension. Each of thesearcuate or scalloped sections of the lip has a length equal to thelength of a lane over which small piece textile articles travel. Eachscallop extends from its outer ends 25, coincident with the side of thelane, to a maximum depth 26, coincident with the center of theparticular lane with which it is associated. The maximum depth of eachscalloped portion may vary but preferably the greatest length of the lipshould not project below the upper edge 23 of the rear wall 12 andpreferably should extend downwardly to a point at which the angle formedby a horizontal plane extending through the upper edge 23 and a planeextending from the upper edge 23 to the lowest portion of the lip 22 isapproximately 45. The minimum height of the lip 20 may vary althoughthis depends primarily upon the particular material with which themachine is to be used. A suction or vacuum source is rpovided for thevacuum box 9. This source may comprise a motor and fan arrangement whichmay be housed in a suitable housing supported on a cross brace 5 beneaththe vacuum box.

The housing within which the fan is contained is connected individuallyto each of a series of separate compartments by connecting air tubes orhoses 31. The compartments divide the box 9 into a series ofcompartments each isolated from the adjacent ones so that the airsuction is individually controlled. The ends of these tubes or hoses 31which open into the vacuum box may be individually controlle dby anysuitable valve arrangement such as valves 32A to control the flow of airto any of the individual compartments into which the box 9 is divided. Asuitable valve arrangement may comprise a butterfly valve pivoted by ahinge at the upper end of each of the tubes 31. The motor and fanarrangement contained within the housing 30 should be sufiicient toeffect substantial suction through each compartment of the vacuum box 9so that air will be drawn through the openings 36 between the upper edge23 and the scalloped lower edge 22 thereby drawing any textile articleinwardly towards these openings and tightly over the lower scallopededge 22 and toward the upper edge 23.

Positioned above the vacuum box 9 is a conveyor belt means generallyindicated at 40. This means consists of a series of short parallelendless belts 41 which are mounted to rotate on a forward roll 42 an darear roll 43. Rolls 42 and 43 may be journaled at their ends on the endframe plates 44 and 45 which in turn may be suitably secured to thesupport 8 by welding or other suitable means. Belts 41 have an uppersurface 46 which is considerably shorter than the overall width of themachine. The rear roll 43 has a surface which arcuately conforms withthe arcuate portion 19 of the wall 14. The lip 20 extends substantiallyat a tangential angle from the roll 43 along a line preferably andapproximately coinciding with the line defined by horizontal planepassing through the axis of the roll 43. These belts 41 are suitablydriven by a motor (not shown) which is connected by a chain drive orbelts to the drive roll 43 of the belts through a suitable connectingsprocket or pulley. Extending between the end plates 44 and 45 is arectangular shaft 50. This shaft 50 is suitably journaled in the platesfor rotation over at least a 90 angle of rotation.

Secured to this shaft 50 is the lever arm 51 that is adapted to rotatethe shaft over an angle of approximately 90 or more. Radially projectingfrom one surface of the rectangular shaft are brackets 55 which havejournaled between them elongated shaft 56 on which is carried rotatabledoffer roll 57. The rotatable roll is substantially coextensive with andcorresponds in length to the Width of the single lane that is adapted tobe used in connection with the machine in single lane operation usage.Also. radially projecting from the rectangular shaft 50 but preferablyfrom the other side are a series of five weighted doffer rolls 58longitudinally aligned and adjacent one another. These rolls 58 aresupported by brackets 59. The brackets 59 have depending ears or lugs 60at opposite ends to which the rolls 58 are journaled. The brackets arealso provided with a tab 6i1 extending centrally thereof and pivotallysecured to one surface 62 of the square shaft 50. The rolls 58 arerestricted in pivotal movement in one direction by surface 62 and in theother direction by a frame elemet 63 having a bight that spans the tab61 with parallel legs of the frame 63 at either end of the bight beingsuitably secured to the surface '62 of the square shaft '50.

Keyed to the shaft supporting the square shaft 50 is a sprocket 71. Acorresponding sprocket 72 is mounted on a jack shaft 73. The jack shaft73 further has a bracket 74 secured to it with the other end of thebracket secured to a lip 75, hereafter described. A continuous sprocketchain 77 interengages and encompasses the sprocket 71 and 73 therebycausing the sprockets to rotate with rotation of the square shaft 50.The lip has a smooth upper edge and a single elongated arcuate loweredge 78 extending over a distance at least equal to the plurality ofarcuate segments formed by edge 22. The lip 75 is adapted to be pivotedfrom the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to a position as illustrated bythe dotted line 75A in which it overlies the lip 20. Movement of the lip75 to and from the position 75A is eflfected by pivoting rotation of thebracket 74 on movement of the chain 77. In the conversion of this lip 75to the position illustrated in dotted outline in FIG. 2 in which aspreader functions as a simple lane device, handle 51 is pivoted from aposition shown in solid outline to the position shown in dotted outline.This causes rotation of the square cross section shaft 50 and aconsequent pivoting of the plurality of rolls 58 from the position shownin solid outline to the position shown in dotted outline and acorresponding move of the roll 57 from the position in solid outline tothe position in dotted outline. When roll 57 is in contact with thesurface 46 it is forward of the position that the plurality of rolls 58assume when in contact with the upper surface 46. This feature isimportant since it is preferable that a single roll should be relativelyforward when feeding larger size sheets such as tablecloths. With thepivoting movement or interchange of the rolls to an operative positionthere is a corresponding shift of the lip 75 to the position 75Aillustrated in dotted outline. Lip 20 is essentially nonoperational withsuch a shift since the lip 75 closely overlies it.

I claim:

1. A machine for spreading textile articles comprising feed means forforwardly feeding successive textile articles,

means forming an aperture extending across the length of said feed meansthrough which air is drawn to suck said articles toward said aperture,

a pair of elongated lips, support means supporting said lips forpositioning adjacent to said aperture whereby said articles may beselectively engaged by either of said lips as said articles are drawntoward said aperture, said support means including means for moving atleast one of said lips to and from said position adjacent said aperture.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein a first lip has an edgewhich is arcuate and a second of said lips has a plurality of arcuatesegments arranged in longitudinal alignment.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for moving atleast one of said lips includes means pivotally supporting said one lip,and actuator means for pivoting said one lip to and from said positionadjacent said aperture.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 3 including a plurality of rollmeans,

means for selectively interengaging dilferent ones of said roll meanswith said feed means.

5. A. machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein a first roll meanscomprises an elongated roll and a second roll means Comprises a seriesof individual rolls.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 5 including means for operativelyinterengaging said means for selectively interengaging different ones ofsaid roll means and said means for moving at least one of said lips forsimultaneously positioning in selected positions said roll means andsaid lips.

7. A machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for selectivelyinterengagin-g different ones of said roll means with said feed meanscomprises an elongated shaft positioned adjacent and extending acrosssaid feed means,

means for rotating said shaft on its axis, means securing said difierentroll means to spaced parts of said shaft.

8. A machine as set forth in claim 7 including a plurality of lanes withsaid individual rolls and individual arcuate segments each ailgned witha different lane.

9. A machine as set forth in claim 8 including a lever secured to saidshaft for rotation thereof, said means securing said roll means to saidshaft comprising means References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,103,7559/1963 Hajos 38-443 3,315,385 4/1967 Taylor 38-143 3,386,192 6/1968Fornaciari 38-443 3,414,997 12/ 1968 Henry 38-143 JORDAN FRANKLIN,Primary Examiner G. V. LARKI'N, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 21-41;271-45

